The Biggest Danger of Brexit; Entitlement as Usual

When Napoleon remarked 'In politics, stupidity is not a handicap' I doubt even he could have foreseen the damage of blending stupidity with unmasked plutocracy and obsequious entitlement. Last week's apathetic paroxysm by British citizens was far more about the obedient breakdown of society than it was about the affirmation of our individual and collective preservation.

I must confess - personally, the last few weeks have been no different than recent years - my mind utterly removed from any investment in politics. But when a colleague in the Philippines asked for my views the day before the referendum, my response was 'Much better in - but, the more I see videos of Cameron agreeing with me, the less sure I become'.

Then I began to think deeply about it. I care immensely and have committed myself to altering the state of the world we inhabit, yet I have no care for politics. Through politics, we are powerless to change things. We can vote, but we can't change things. We can replace 'Elitist public school boy #1' with 'Elitist public school girl #2'. So what's the actual change - someone else to ridicule, laugh and shake our heads at?

I didn't vote. If I did, I am not sure what I would have chosen - not because I wasn't sure what the right thing to do was - but because I am fed up of a undemocratically appointed elitist government continuing to undermine, underserve and underrepresent the majority.

And so it seems I am not the only one - not by a long way.

The vote out has nothing to do with EU dissent, xenophobic rhetoric or ignorant nationalism. Yes, we breed and provide alters to those who farm fascism, and yes, we mainstreamed the right to remain stupid, but in the overwhelming main - people in the UK are not bigots.

We are angry, not malevolent. We are frustrated, not contemptuous - apathetic, not radical. If there is any doubt, let the new Mayor of London be the voice of who we are.

The reality of the vote is not what will be - but what we cannot allow again. Let us not put in power those who put profit before people, indolence before integrity and hate before love.

The disconnect between Westminster and the rest has been building ever since Blair lit the flame to obliterate Afghanistan. And then there was Iraq. And Libya. And then Cameron came and Syria died, while Yemen burned. And those who did not die, fled. They fled for the lives unqualified Westminster people in incongruous robes, living in unenlightened times were foremost in destroying. And when they wanted to come here, the people didn't refuse them because we don't care for the downtrodden.

The people welcomed them, but they were angry that, just like the financial meltdown, the people were forced to pay for the stupidity and elitism of Westminster. Closer to home, the pig opened it's mouth, Panama leaked and all the while, daily airplay to contrived phrases like 'you ain't no Muslim, bruv' or 'I know how the people feel' combined with systematic economic, social and cultural neglect for everything outside of Westminster were all straws to break the camels back.

This self-serving arrogance, when combined with corporate cuckolding and unprecedented access to information, ignored protests and the occasional comedian calling for 'revolution', or creating a 'mash-up' all left their mark - Brexit was the tipping point. Change.org the tool and the occasion the perfect opportunity to say 'No, we don't really think out of EU is better, but if it means no more you - we'll take our chances'

It would be entirely short-sighted to suggest bad politics led 52% of Britons to say 'we've had enough'. Perhaps fear led 10-15% - and no country is immune to imbecilic Neanderthals - but Britons, more than any other country I know, have an innate sense of fairness and tolerance.

It is why they voted with anger and not with rationality. To cut the head off the snake. The biggest danger of all this is not standing alone from the EU - Tokenism and ratification aside, we already do. The danger is that we allow the fear to lead us back down a road we protested for 15 years to deviate from.

But, what cannot be denied is the need for someone to lead. The people have proven that they too pose huge danger - the vote was a cry for change - less eloquence, more compassion. Less Eton, more Luton. Less Cameron, more Corbyn. Technology's ability to reach critical mass and our own sense of validation and worth are a perilous concoction - which, with the wrong leader can have dire consequences.

By giving citizens an opportunity to play politics, we permit real politicking amongst the elite - and where power systems can't change; the people gain a voice, but lose the path for betterment. For democracy to succeed and for the UK regain the social glue that has eroded in the last two governments, we don't need equitable leadership - we need equitable participation, which ensures leaders are held accountable to the needs of the people.